Ruffling mechanism for sewing-machines



R. R. HUGHES, JR.

numms MEcHAmsM Foa SEWING-MACHINES.

APFLICATIQN FILED NOV. I8, 1915.

Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

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n. R. HUGHES,l n. RUFFLING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

n APPLxcAlou man Nov. 18, 1915.l Patented Mai.. 23, 1920.

4 sHeEs-SHE'ET 2.

I R. R. HUGHES, In.

RUFFLING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

1 APPLICATION FILED NOV. I8. I9I5. Patented Marl 23 4 SMITS-SHEET 3.

a. m HUGHES, 1R. BUFFLING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

I APPLICATION FII-ED NDV; IB, ISIS. Y I "1,334,61 1 Patented Mar. 23,1920;

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inicia 4 Witwe l j MQ WM QM iUNITED sTATns PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT n. Hoei-Ins, any. or `Nnw YORK, N. Y., nssIcNon To nNION .sPncIiiL MACHINE COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, n CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

RUFFLING MnCnANIsivI Fon SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

Application filed November 18, 1915. Y Serial No. 62,154.

To `all y1U hom t may concer/a lle it known that I, Roemer HUGHES, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing` at New l`York, in the county of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rntllinp; li/l'echanism for Sewing-litachines, of which the following; is a description, reference being' had to the accompanying' drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.`

',lhe invention relates to new and usetulv improvements in rattling mechanisms for sewing machines, and more particularly to a rattling' mechanism which may be thrown into and out of operation at the will of the Operator and without stopping the stitchingv mechanism.

An object. of the invention to provide a sewingl machine having` means -for disconnecting the rutlling blade from its actuating; mechanism with controlling' devices for preventing); the disconnection of said ruftling); blade when said rattling; blade is on its forward or rearward movement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rutiling mechanism of the above character having' manually cont-rolled means for rendcrine the rutiiinn' blade ineffective and tor moving the same to inoperative position. with means for preventingthe shift ine; of the said manually controlled means except when the rattling blade has been moved forward to form a ruffle.

it. still further object of the invention is to provide a ru'lllino mechanism of the `above character havinfci mechanism for automatically rendering` the rutl'ling blade ineffective and for moving' the same to inoperative position when the controlling' means., c., thel the treadle, is released by the operator, with mean-s for preventing the shifting; of said automatic mechanism when the rutliinn'bla de is moving1 forward for forming a rutile, or moving backward after the rutile has been formed. y

These and other objects will in part be Obvious and will in part be hereinafter more :tally disclosed.

ln the drawings, which show by way of illustration one embodiment of 'the inven tion l Figure l .is an. end view of a machine embodying; my improvements;

lfigg. 2 a rear view of the machine;

Fig. is a vertical sectional view showing' the means for vibrating* the rattling;r blade, the means for rendering` the saine effcctive or ineffective, and the automatic controlling mechanism therefor;

Fig. 4t is a similar view but with certain of the `parts omitted to show the automatic controlling' mechanism in side elevation and with the parts shifted to position for reni dering the rattling blade ineffective;

Fig. 5 is a front view of the forward end of the machine parts being' broken away to show the looper;

Figi'. G is a view more or less diagrammatically showing;` the rattling blade in eX`- treme rear position;

Fig. 7 is a similar view but showing the rulllinp; blade in its forward position;

Fic: 8 is a view, more or less diagrammatically', showing' a treadle for controlling the ruttiino; mechanism; and

Fig. 9 is a detail showingn in side eleva`- tion a portion of the Operating` yoke for the rutl'linp; blade.

lThe rutlling' mechanism, together with the means for rendering' the same effective and ineffective at the will of the Operator is similar to that shown in the patent granted to Russel G. lVoodward, July 31st, 1900,1No. 655.14m

ln this patent, there is disclosed a sewing machine lravine` av rattling' blade attached thereto which is moved back and forth by suitable mechanism including devices whereby the operator at will may render said ruftling blade effective or ineffective and, when said blade rendered inetfective` the vibrations thereof cease and said blade is moved rearwardtvaway from the needle. llVhen the controlling; lever is shifted in one direction in the patented structure, the rutliing` blade is coupled to its actuating; mechanism and, when said controlling means is moved in the opposite direction. then the rattling; blade is disconnected from its actuating mecha nism.

The present invention consistsV primarily in providing, devices which will prevent the disconnecting of the ranting blade from its actuatinp; mechanism while said blade is moving` forward to form a rutile or is on its backward movement. y

Referring in detail to the drawingsj l will describe briefly the rutiiing; machine to which my controlling devices have been applied. Said rutliing machine consists of a work sup- A ing mechanism.

port 1, an overhanging arm 2 in which reciprocates a needle bar 3 carrying, as herein shown, a single needle 4. Said needle bar is recprocated by a needle lever 5. Coperk ating with the needle beneath the work supfoot 10 co )crates with said feed doo'. rs

Located in front of the needle is a fabric manipulating implement, such as a ruiiing blade 11, which is mounted on a carrier 12 pivoted to supporting head 13'on the forward end'of a reciprocating rod 14. This rod is mounted in bearings 15 and 16. The rod 14 is reoiprocated back and forth to give the ruliiing stroke to the ruiiiing blade 11, by a rock shaft 17 which carries a downwardly projecting arm 1S connected by a link 19 to a bracket 2O fixed to the bar 14. This rock shaft 17 is mounted in suitable bearings 21 and 22.A Said shaft is provided also with a rearwardly extending arm 23. Pivoted to the outer end of the arm 23 is a link 24. This link 24 is pivoted at its lower end to a sliding block 25.

An oscillating yoke 26 is pivoted at 27 to the supporting bed of the machine, and this yoke cooperates with an eccentric 2S mounted on the main shaft 29. Said yoke is provided with a rib 26a adapted to engage the recess 30 in the block 25, when said block is Vmoved to the right, as viewed in Fig. 3.

Vhen, however, the block is moved to the left, as shown in Fig. 4, it is disengaged from this rib and theyoke will vibrate without imparting movement to the link 24. lhen said sliding block engages the rib, then movement will be imparted tothe link 24 and through the rock shai't 17 will reciprocate the rodv 14 carrying the ruifiing blade l11 Journaled on the shaft 17 is a yoke 31, This yoke is connected by a pin 32 to an arm 33 which is loosely journaled on the outer end of the rock shaft 17. Said arm 33 is connected by a link 34 to the'bloek 25 so that, when the arm 33 is moved to the right, as viewed in Fig. 3, it will force the sliding vblock 25 to the right, causing the same to engage the rib of the oscillating yoke 26 and thus connect the ruliiing blade to its actuat- VVhen the arm 33 is moved to the left, then the ru'iiing blade will be disconnected from its actuating mechanism.

A leaf spring 35 is viixed to a bracket 36 carried by the bed ofthe machine, and the upperencl of this spring bears against a pin 37 carried by the arm 33. This spring normally forces the arm 33 to the left, as viewed in Figs. 3 and 4, and serves as automatic means for disconnecting the ruiiling blade from its actuating mechanism.

Mounted in a suitable bearing 38, carried by the sandard of the machine, is a. rock shaft having an arm 39 connected by a,

suitable flexible member to a treadle 41. A spring 42 may be placed under the treadle for normally raising the rear end of the treadle when released by the operator. This rock shaft carrying the arm 30 also carries a second arm 43 on the outer end of which is mounted a roller 44 adapted to engage a ilat bearing face 45 on the arm lV hen the treadle is depressed by the operator, the rock shaft connected thereto will be actuated and the arm 43 will press the roller 44 against the arm and this will shift the block 25 into engagement with the rib and thus establish connection between the ruliiing blade and its actuating mechanism. lhen the treadle is released, then the spring 35 comes into play to shift the arm 33 in the opposite direction. An adjustable stop 46 engages the arm 33 and limits the inward movement thereof.

The yoke 31 has a downwardly projecting lug to which is connected a link 6l. This link 61 is pivoted to the upper end of the lever 62 and the lever 62 has a plate 63 adjustably attached to its lower end. This plate is adapted to engage a cross pin 64 on the carrier 12 and swing the ruliiing blade to inoperative position when said yoke 31 is oscillated through the action of the spring 35 for disconnecting the ruflling blade from its actuating mechanisni.

The above parts are in a general way similar to the devices shown and described in the lVoodward patent, above reierred to, except as to the detail mechanism for shil'ting the arm 33 for remlering the rullling mechanism effective. Tn the device herein shown, the depending arm 33 has a. loose connection with the arm This, however. is the 'full equivalent of the mechanism shown in the patent and is no part ol the present invention.

It will readily be seen from the above description that, when the operator releases the treadle, the spring 35 will at once shift the parts so as to render said ruiiiing blade ineffective by disconnecting the same from its actuating mechanism and, at the same time, shift said ruiiiing blade to inoperative position.

The rib 26, with which the block 25 en gages, is curved on an arc oi a circle struck irom a center located at the pivotal connection 'between the link 24 and the arm 23 when said arm 23 is raised and tlieaullling blade is at the forward end of its stroke. YA. movement of the block 25 along` this rib 26". when the ruliing blade is at the -forward end of its stroke, will have .no effect on the operating mechanism for the rufiiing blade owing to this concentric positioning of the parts. lilhen, howeverl` the yoke 26 is lowered to its extreme lowest position, said rib will then be set eccentrically relative to the pivotal connection between the arm 23 and the link 24:, anda movement of the block on the rib will shift the arm 23 although the parts of the machine ma be at rest. Furtheriinore, the rib 2GZt and the block 25 are so constructed and located that, when the yoke 2G moves away from its concentric position, a movement of the block along the rib toward the fi'llcrumof the yoke will cause the ru'llling blade to move forward, although 'this forward movement of the ruflling blade is not quite a full stroke of the rufiling blade. From the above, it will be apparent, therefore, that, if this block is shifted when the ru'llling blade is at the rear end of its stroke, or at any intermediate point between the rear end of its stroke and the forward end of its stroke, it would cause a forward kick or movement of the rufliing blade. This movement, however, will form an inromplete or partial ruffle, which will not be caught by the stitching mechanism. lturthermore, the operator usually holds the strip being ruffled, and a forward kick of the `rufl'ling blade is apt to mark or tear the fabric, and, when it is flattened out, if the incomplete rufller is not stitched, then the fabric shows 'an objectionable mark. Fui thermore, the operator often marks the fabric being ruffled and the unruflied fabric `with the desire of gathering the fabric so as to take out the fullness and bring the marked sections directly together. When this operation is co1npleted,`that is, the fullness has been taken out, the operator is holding the fabric tightly, and if a false .movement of the ruilling blade, as above described, occurs,.the fabric being held tightly is likely to be badly marked ortorn, as has been referred to. Therefore, it will be noted that, if the mechanism for shifting the block can be operated at any time during the stroke of the ruflling blade, objectionable movements of the rattling blade may occur.

lVhen the block 25 is at its extreme left hand position, as viewed in Figs. 3 and 4, said block is entirely disconnected from the rib 2G, Also atlthis time the yoke 31 is swung so as to move the arm 60, see Fig. l, to the left,"'`as viewed in said ligure, and this swings the lever 62 so that the plate G3 engages the carrier 12 supporting the ruflling blade, and thismoves the ruflling blade to the rear end of its stroke and tilts the same upwardly, as fully shown and described in the patent. The block 25 is permitted to move upwardly when disengaged from the rib 26, and the rib 26 has a tapered nose 25" atits left hand end, as viewed in Fig. 9,

and this permits the block to make engagement with the rib when it is moved to the right by the operator. In other words, while the block 25 has more or less of a free movement up and down, it never moves to such or tearing of the fabric, and to this end I have provided the arm 33 with a forwardly projectiiig bracket 47 which is secured to the arm by suitable screws 41S. Said b acket on its lower face is formedwith a series of teeth-i9. A lever 50 is pivotcd to the standard of the machine at 5l and carries a pawl or holding dog 52. This lever at its lower end bears against a three-sided cam 53 mounted on the main shaft 29. A spring 5l secured to the lower end of the lever 50 and to the bed of the machine holds the lever pressed against the cam 53. The pawl or holding dog52 is so positioned in the lever that when the lower end is thrown to the left, as shown in Fig l, said pawl is ont of the path of movement of the teeth 49 on the lower face of the bracket e7. When either side or y of the cam 53 is in contact with the lower part of the lever 50, then the pawl or holding dog 52 will be raised by the spring 54e into the path of the teeth and will engage the same, as shown in Fig. 3. The pawl 52 is fixed to the lever 50 and the spring 5st permits the lever to yield when engaged by the side e of said cam 53 so that the arm 33 may be moved to the right and the teeth pass over the pawl, which is tapered at 55 for this purpose.

The cam 53 is so shaped and timed that the pawl or holding dog 52 will be in position forengaging the bracket during sub stantially the entire forwaii'd and rearward movei'l'lent of the rulliing blade. Let us assnmethat the operator releases the treadle while the rullling blade is `moving forward. At this time, this pawl or holding dog 52 is raised and engages the teeth 49 formed in the bracket 4:7 and although the treadle may be raised by the action of the spring underneath the same, this pawl or holding dog 52 will prevent the spring from throwing the arm 33 to disconnect the ruliiing lblade from its actuating mechanism until the main shaft is turned a sufficient distance to lower the pawl or holding dog 5' 2 and release the arm 53.

The same action occurs on the rearward movement of the ruflling blade. If the treadle released and raised by the action of the spring'underneath the same, the pawl or holding dog 52 will prevent the spring 35 from throwing the arm 233 to `discoi'niect the ruil-ling blade from its actuating `meclianisni until the main shaft is turned a suflicient distance to carry the ruilling blade to the rear end of its stroke and then forward to substantially the forward end of its stroke. In other words, the machine' isprovided with automatic means for disconnecting the rufiling blade from its actuating mechanism, and this pawl or holding dog, together with its cooperating devices, `will preventthis automatically shifting mechanism from `disconnecting the ruifling blade from its actuating mechanism at all times,

except when the ruiiiing blade is substantially atthe forward end of its stroke and this in turn prevents the undesirable movements of the ruiiling blade above referred to, which might produce partially formed tucks or rufiies, or perhaps tear the fabric.

lVhile I have described my invention as applied to a ruifling machine for preventing the release of the ruiiiing blade while it is on its forward 0r rearward movement, it is understood that the invention may be equally applied to any other type of feeding element for manipulating the fabric so as to prevent the same from being rendered ineffective while it is on its feeding stroke. I have, therefore, used the term ruiiiing blade simply as a descriptive term and not as a limiting term, throughout the specification and claims. v

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of description and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure b v Letters-Patent is z* 1. A sewing machine including in combination, al work support, a main feed dog, a fabric manipulating implement coperating with said feed dog, means for vibrating said fabric manipulating implement to feed the fabric, and manually controlled means for disconnecting said fabric manipulating implement from its vibrating means, and devices for preventing the operation of said last-named means while said fabric manipulating implement is on its feedingv movement.

2. A sewing machine including in combination, a work support, a main feed dog, a ruflling4 blade cooperating with said feed dog, means for vibrating said ruflling blade,

manually controlled means for disconnecting said ruifling blade from its vibrating mechanism, and means for preventing the disconnection of said rufliing blade from its vibrating mechanism while Said ruiiiing blade is moving forward or backward.

8. A sewing machine including in combination, a work support, a main feed dog, a ruifling blade cooperating with said feed dog, means for vibrating said ruiiiing blade, kmanually controlled means for connecting 'the rufiiing blade with its vibrating mechanism, automatic means for disconnecting the ruiiiing blade from its vibrating mecha.- nism when released by the operator, and de- 'having a toothed under face,

vices for preventing the operation of said automatic means while said ruiiiing blade is moving forward to form a ruiiie.

Ll. A sewing machine including in eombination, a work support, a main feed dog,

a ruilling blade coperating with said feedy dog, means for vibrating said ruiiiing blade, manually controlled means for connecting the ruii'ling blade with its vibrating mechanism, automatic means for disconnecting the rufliing blade from its vibrating mechanism when released by the operator, and devices for preventing the operation of said automatic means while said ruiiiing blade is moving forward to form a rutile, said devices ope 'ating to release the automatic means when said ruffling blade reaches the forward end of its stroke.

5. A sewing machine comprising in combination, a work support, a ruiiling blade, means for vibrating said ruiiling blade including a vibrating yoke, a link having a shiftable connection with said yoke whereby said link may be vibrated by the yoke or moved to ineffective position, manually controlled means for shifting the link for connecting the same with said vibrating yoke, automatic means for shifting said link in the opposite direction to disconnect the same from the yoke when released by the operator, and devices for preventing the operation of said automatic means while said ruifling blade is forming a rutile.

6. A sewing machine comprising in combination, awork support, a ruifling blade, means for vibrating said rufiling blade including a vibrating yoke, a link having a shiftable connection with said yoke whereby said link may be vibrated by the yoke or moved to ineffective position, manually controlled means for shifting the link for connecting the same with said vibrating yoke, automatic means for shifting said link in the opposite direction to disconnect the same from the yoke when released by the operator, a bracket carried by said link, a locking pawl for engaging said bracket while the ruiiiing blade is moving forward or backward for preventing the automatic shifting of the link.

7. A sewing machine comprising in combination, a work support, a, ruiiling blade, means-for vibrating said ruiiling blade including a vibrating yoke, a. link having a shiftable connection with said yoke whereby said link may be vibrated by the yoke or moved to inoperative position, manually contiolled means for shifting the link for connecting the same with said vibrating yoke, automatic means for shifting said link in the opposite direction to disconnect the same from the yoke when released by the operator, a bracket carried by said link and a locking pawl adapted to engage said toothed face for preldO venting the shifting of the link while said ruffling blade is moving forward or backward.

8. A sewing machine comprising in combination, a work support, a rufl'ling blade, means for vibrating said rufliing blade including a vibrating yoke, a link having a shiftable connection with said yoke whereby said link may be vibrated by the yoke or moved to inoperative position, manually controlled means for shifting the link for connecting the same with said vibrating yoke, automatic means for shifting said link in the opposite direction to disconnect the same from the yoke when released by the operator, a bracket carried by `the link and having a toothed under face, a` lever, a pawl carried by said lever, and means for shifting said lever whereby said pawl is adapted to engage the teeth on said bracket to prevent the movement of the link while the ruflling blade is moving forward or backward.

9. A sewing machine comprising in combination, a work support, a ruiling blade, means for vibrating said ruiiiing blade including a vibrating yoke, a link having a shiftable connection with said yoke whereby said link may be vibrated by the yoke or moved to inoperative position, manually controlled means for shifting the link for connecting the same with said vibrating yoke, automatic means for shifting said link in the opposite direction toh disconnect the same from the yoke when released by the operator, a bracket carried by the link and having` a toothed under face, a lever, a pawl carried by said lever, and means for shifting said lever whereby said pawl is adapted to engage the teeth on said bracket to prevent the movement of the link While the ruffling blade is moving forward, said shifting means for the lever operating tomove the pawl from engagement with the teeth to permit the au tomatic shifting of the link when said ruffling blade reaches the forward end of its stroke or on its rearward movement.

10. A. sewing machine including in combination, a work support, a fabric manipulating implement to feed the fabric, means for rendering said fabric manipulating implement effective or ineffective, said means including a normally stationary lever under the control of the operator, and means to prevent the operation of the lever except at a predetermined portion of the movement of the fabric manipulating implement.

11. A. sewing machine including in combination, a work support, a fabric manipulating implement, actuating means for vibrating said implement to feed the fabric, said actuating means including a breakable connection, and devices including a latch dog1 for preventing the breaking of said connection during the feedingl stroke of said implement.

l2. A sewing machine including in combination, a work support, a fabric manipulating implement, actuating means for vibrating said implement to feed the fabric, said actuating means including a brea {able connection, devices including a latch dog for vpreventing the breaking of said connection during the feeding stroke of said implement, and means for automatically releasing said latch subsequent to the feeding action of said implement.

In testimony whereof, I afiiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT R. HUGHES, J n. Witnesses GEORGE Tarn, HAROLD C. EDWARDS. 

